Carol Westfall

CAROL WESTFALL

Carol Westfall was an internationally known artist, ,professor (Textiles, Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey) and mother. She was a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design (BA) and the Maryland Institute College of Art (MFA), and also taught at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York.

“Westfall’s early investigation of textile materials and processes coincided with the beginning of the Fiber Art Movement in the 1970s. “I have been exploring the cultural roots and contemporary imagery of the movement that evolved from the study of aspects of textile traditions,” she wrote in her artist statement. “These traditions encompass an extraordinary variety of materials, processes and, most importantly, visual messages. I have combined these traditions with my interests in feminist concerns, current issues in the arts and society and an abiding love for various foreign cultures.” - Pat Malarcher, a longtime friend and colleague, excerpted from a memorial in the Surface Design Journal

Alongside her studio and teaching practices, Carol had an incredibly keen and curious mind. She was a life-long, avid collector, amassing thousands of volumes of books and journals on the subject most beloved to her: textiles. TATTER is proud to house her phenomenal collection in its entirety, and is committed to honoring Carol’s legacy through the sharing of textile knowledge.